In 1966, Smith, now living as Wolfman Jack 24/7, moved his family and business operations to Los Angeles. His national popularity grew as stories began to appear in “Time Magazine”, “Newsweek”, “Life Magazine”, and major city newspapers, all asking the same question “Who is Wolfman Jack and where did he come from?” Wolfman’s mix of rowdy rock, verbal antics and raw rhythm & blues, began to make news. Wolfman thought he too could “sell stuff” and make as he said, “big money.” This unique station made tons of cash for the preachers and Smith wanted in on the action! Bob Smith got Wolfman Jack on XERF… and the legend was born! Wolfman Jack’s personality sent energy through the radio speakers and attracted the attention of millions of people all across North America. based preachers who preached religion and sold many different religious items. As a kid, back in Brooklyn, he used to listen to the Big X which played great music by day and at night basically catered to U.S. In 1963, it was in Shreveport that Bob Smith created the Wolfman Jack character and had the idea to get the new Wolfman Jack Show on the powerful Mexican radio station, XERF, a massive 250,000 watt station with a signal that covered all of North America. In late 1961, Smith moved his family to Shreveport, Louisiana where he began working at KCIJ. Being a country music station, although Smith’s show was successful and had many listeners, he was looking for something different. At WYOU, Smith did three shows with three different DJ personas “Daddy Jules”, who played R&B, “Roger Gordon”, who played classical and “Big Smith with the Records”, who played the current hits. They were married and quickly had two children. It was here in 1960, he met the love of his life, Lucy “Lou” Lamb. Smith’s first real radio job was at WYOU in Newport News, Virginia.

Although Smith was a high-school dropout, he graduated broadcasting school at the head of his class with an A average. While going to classes at night, by day, he supported himself as a door-to-door salesman. Later, Smith attended the National Academy of Broadcasting in Washington D.C. While hanging around outside the theater, Smith was noticed and received a big break, he not only met Freed, he also got a job as a 'gofer' at the Paramount. One week, for several days, hoping to meet Freed, Smith positioned himself near the outside stage-door of the Paramount Theater, where Freed did major rock & roll stage shows. At the age of 16, his love for radio grew as he listened daily to Alan Freed, the ultimate DJ of New York. His early influences were the DJ’s of his day like Tommy Small, The Hound, and Jocko.

As a young teenager, he would listen to the radio in his home’s basement, where he pretended to be the DJ. Wolfman Jack was born Robert Weston Smith, in Brooklyn, New York, on January 21, 1938.

Wolfman jack radio snippit